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Abstract
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Images of children being pulled out from under rubble will be forever etched in our minds in association with the devastating earthquake that struck Türkiye and Syria on Feb 6, 2023. For Syrians, this earthquake was a disaster within a disaster, with 4·5 million individuals already displaced in northern Syria.
Children's wellbeing is affected by both risk factors and protective factors. Risk factors--or adverse childhood experiences--such as living through traumatic events and violence, increase the chance of physical and mental illnesses later in life. One of the most important protective factors in supporting a child's mental health and wellbeing is a warm and nurturing relationship with their primary caregivers. During extreme contexts, parenting or caregiving can be severely compromised. Caregivers who have survived will be dealing with their own responses to trauma and the difficulties of providing basic necessities.
WHO guidelines published on Feb 10, 2023, which were based on four systematic reviews in low-resource countries, found conclusive evidence that supporting caregivers during a crisis is an essential protective factor against emotional and behavioural problems in the children under their care and reduces the risk of child maltreatment. The summary report states: "In humanitarian settings within low-[income] and middle-income countries, evidence-based parenting interventions or broader evidence-based interventions with a parenting component should be made readily accessible to all parents and caregivers of children aged 0-17 years, in group-based or individualized formats that consider the impact on recipients' mental health." Adding interventions to assist children's recovery from trauma magnifies the benefits to their wellbeing....
Language: en |